Fire Hydrant Servicing Companies should be Should be able to referencing and understand the AWWA M17 Installation, Field Testing, and Maintenance of Fire Hydrants and shall hold a certification that reference NFPA 291 Standard.

Interviewer: You have to have these certifications to be able to work on fire hydrants or can anyone work on them?

David Munoz: In Arizona you are required to be license by Arizona Registrar of Contractors and also be certified by a third party tester for the UFM4 Standard.

Interviewer: I thought just the cities Municipalities own fire hydrants. Can they be owned privately or by companies? Who owns them?

David Munoz: Most fire hydrants are owned by municipalities throughout the state of Arizona. But there are also private fire hydrants throughout the state of Arizona. For example some city will not service or inspect fire hydrant for private residential or commercial properties. For example Hotels, retail stores, industrial parks and mobile home properties maybe considered private.

Why Do Facilities Have Hydrants?

David Munoz: Provides fire protection for the community during a fire. It’s also Heightens community’s fire protection rating. And one of the most important reasons why it should be inspected and maintenance annually. It saves lives and protects your property.

Facilities Need Hydrants for Fire Protection in Addition to Sprinklers

Interviewer: What’s your requirement for a facility to have a fire hydrant? Why do they have hydrant instead of some other way to deliver water in case there’s a fire?

David Munoz: The majority of facilities do have sprinklers, but you still have to be able to fight the fire from the outside to control the fire and to minimize property damage and surrounding buildings.

It Is Crucial to Ensure a Hydrant Is in Working Condition throughout the Year

Facilities that forego having their hydrants inspected during the year, basically, are just putting the facility in potential risk of catastrophic damage from a fire, if the hydrant not being useful at the time when it is needed.

The International Fire Code

Interviewer: Who imposes the maintenance requirements and the physical requirements and everything having to do with the fire hydrants? Who lays down those rules?

Hydrants Must Be Inspected by the Fire Department or a Certified Private Company

David Munoz: There’s a fire code that’s actually in every state. It’s called the International Fire Code. Fire departments and your municipalities follow IFC code. Most private owners are regulated by the fire department. If the fire department doesn’t inspect those fire hydrants, then the owner needs to have a company to inspect them yearly to ensure they’re operational.

Interviewer: Are the rules the same in all municipalities and for everybody or are they different depending on where you are or if you’re a private owner?

David Munoz: They could vary from state to state, but the majority of the time they’re fairly all the same. They usually all adopt the International Fire code or NFPA 291 Standard, which also Reference private hydrants.

Hydrants Must Be Inspected Once a Year

Interviewer: What are some of the requirements? You said the fire hydrant has to be inspected once a year to make sure it’s in good working order?

David Munoz: Fire Hydrants have to be Lubricated or greased depending of the Make and Models for the fire hydrant. It’s also important to verify the condition of the Fire Hydrant if it’s inoperable or functional. Flow rates should also be checked. For example: commercial and industrial buildings must meet or exceed 1500 GPM and Residential shall meet or exceed 1000 GPM. Hydra Contracting provide this service to our customers and provide a detail report of the fire hydrants condition and flow rates.